Compliance Toolkit

In association with Network Liberation Movement

Story: Patent directive 'could halt Linux development'

Posted by: scott_R (Tuesday 1 March 2005, 8:49 PM)

RE: SHOW ME!

The guy is a patent lawyer, he HOPES there are patent problems with Linux. When you spend enough time hoping something is true, occasionally you come to believe it, without any additional proof.

Who knows, perhaps he's even got a few patents ready to go, based on current concepts, to be filed the moment the new software patents are allowed. The hope that (baseless) harrassment can lead to a few bucks is alive and well, after all. Then again, maybe the EU, if they mistakenly pass software patents, will be intelligent enough to put in provisions for punishing companies/people who file harrassment patents.

Sadly, I think this concept will probably be embraced by MS and other companies that no longer have strong product lines, and are simply running on inertia. On the upside, even if someone finds a way to win a bogus patent suit, SCO's attempt to take on the entire Linux world (and eventually the entire software world) will hopefully dissuade them from engaging in something so insurmountable.

Besides, for legitimate complaints, Linux already has a built in failsafe, namely, the ability and willingness of developers to remove imposing code. If such a situation ever did come up, there would be little reason to go to court to correct the situation outside of greed. Who knows, maybe the developers might even offer some sort of "repayment" in the form of the improvements to the code that was used, that would benefit both parties.

Not that I think this is a likely event, but I'm just amazed by the fact that all these journalists only see the courtroom (and the destruction of one party) as the only way to come to an agreement.